Bernard Laporte's answer arrives barely before the end of the question. France, Ireland and South Africa are now days away from finding out who will host the 2023 Rugby World Cup. So how does he feel? Nervous?Confident? The instantaneous response is clear. "Impatient," he says with a chuckle.Laporte is in the middle of over-hauling French rugby, a process that began when he was elected president of the French federation last year and includes, he hopes, hosting the World Cup in six years' time.

Leading his list of objectives is a plan to reduce the number of foreign players in the Top 14.The gluttonous appetite for the league to be stacked with international stars has waned, mainly because the national side lost their way.

"Things are changing, little by little," Laporte says. "We are holding talks, between the Top 14 and the FFR [the French federation]."We have to do a lot to improve our levels here in France, with training the kids and the coaches at the very early level. For the moment, too many foreign players. We want to reduce the number.

"In three years' time we would like to have only seven players out of 23 to be foreign players who cannot play for France, with the rest qualifying for the national side."

This will be music to the ears of Sebastien Chabal, now retired and working as an ambassador for the French bid.

Of three players nominated for the Top 14's most valuable player of last season, two - Carl Fearns of Lyon and eventual winner Victor Vito of La Rochelle - were offshore recruits playing in Chabal's old position."When I watch the Top 14, I can't believe there are so many foreign players," Chabal says. "We have some good kids, but now rugby has a big economy and the clubs do not have time to lose. They want results right now, which is why they go to buy players from abroad. It is a huge problem for us."I think our league is strong, but the rugby we practise is not right at the minute. Now, you have to play. You have to move the ball around. In France, for too long it was collisions, big impact. We had to be strong and defence was the key."You only have to watch the All Blacks. Why do they beat everybody? They do everything better than any other team but they move the ball around and have good skills. We forgot our skills.

"Sometimes I go to junior rugby clubs and when I see children play they just go 'boom, boom, boom', because they do what their role models are doing.

"Bernard Laporte has started to do a big job with his politics, but it will only pay in 10 years, maybe. . . maybe in time for 2023 we can be competitive."While scathing about the national team's immediate prospects, joking that he can hardly bear to watch the two matches against New Zealand next month, Chabal senses a shift in the right direction."We lost 4,000 under-12s last year - that is a disaster for us. In the 1980s, rugby was thought to be a sport played by brutes. After that it was better, so mothers brought their kids to clubs," Chabal reflects. "Now, we have a big problem with concussion. That has scared parents. They don't want their kids to play.

"That's why we have to change the way we play. For that, we need this World Cup and we need for the Top 14 to change their mindset. I think that is starting to be done. In the Top 14, I can see the players with the will to play - not just to bang, bang, bang.

"La Rochelle, even Montpellier, Clermont, Lyon, Toulouse, even Toulon start to play! Imagine that. We need that to keep our young players."To retain the interest of France's next generation, Laporte will try to satisfy the appetite for international rugby outside Paris.

At an RWC 2023 event in Marseille on Wednesday, Laporte announced that France will take a home Six Nations fixture beyond the capital for the first time, facing Italy at Marseille's Orange Velodrome, France's second-largest stadium.

"It's important for the FFR to go to the public, to where the audience are, and not the other way round, with everyone having to come to Paris," Laporte admits. "The stadium is very big, holding 67,000 people, you can do hospitality, and the population around the stadium is extensive."Inevitably there have been obstacles. Laporte has battled accusations of collusion with Montpellier owner Mohed Altrad, after he allegedly intervened to reduce the number of punishments against Montpellier, which he has strenuously denied.

"All I know is that when we travel around the world, no one asked me about it," Laporte says. "It's not Bernard Laporte's bid, this is the French bid. It is about France, not me. It has not damaged [the bid] at all."

Inspiring a nation is also difficult when France have lost seven out of 18 Test matches in the past two years. Three wins out of four next month would be "a fantastic return", when France face New Zealand twice as well as South Africa and Japan.Laporte's patience might be running wafer thin waiting for the 2023 announcement, but not when it comes to restructuring the country's entire approach to rugby.

"There is a lot of work to do," he notes. "A lot of work.

Telegraph

Sun Oct 29, 2017 3:27 pm

jimcardiff

World XV Player

Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 12:39 pmPosts: 7033Location: rhondda

Re: France to reduce Foreign players in Matchday Squads

This will devalue pro wages outside of France .

_________________To be born Welsh is a privilege, not with a silver spoon in your mouth but a song in your heart and poetry in your soul.

Sun Oct 29, 2017 4:11 pm

loosechange

World XV Player

Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 12:34 amPosts: 15379Location: Japan

Re: France to reduce Foreign players in Matchday Squads

“We would like to have 7 out of 23 players.....”. Isn’t that still a big chunk? So theoretically 7 starters could still be NFQ. I understand it’s a step in the right direction, but it seems to be a bit of lip service, that might not even eventuate.

_________________Religion is like a penis.It's fine to have one, and fine to be proud of it.But please don't whip it out in public and start waving it around,And PLEASE don't try to shove it down my child's throat.

Wed Nov 01, 2017 8:06 am

Tony Panties

World XV Player

Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:37 pmPosts: 12728

Re: France to reduce Foreign players in Matchday Squads

loosechange wrote:

:shock: “We would like to have 7 out of 23 players.....”. Isn’t that still a big chunk? So theoretically 7 starters could still be NFQ. I understand it’s a step in the right direction, but it seems to be a bit of lip service, that might not even eventuate.

Problem is/was Loosie that the extent was very significant and the changes had to be phased.

The comments relate to the match day squad, the other important issue is the % of the total Pro Squad. Squads are limited to 32 full Pro contract + players on first Pro contract + injury jokers + nominated development players, on average it will be about 40. This was an attempt to allow better spread of best players. It backfired with best foreign players being brought in and tipped the balance back to the richest in terms of affordability to buy the best.

The JIFF (the prog to reduce the #s) started in 2013/14 and has been increased and the penalties for failure to comply too.

Another aspect is the radical change to international release (as reported on here), this increases the appetite of Clubs to recruit foreigners to offset loss and maintain quality especially when one considers squad size too. So we have two attempts to improve National performance but they 'conflict' in that respect

French/EU employment law is difficult to 'legislate' against with regard to limiting the foreign worker aspect as the Bosman case and other examples testify. The federation has to tread very carefully in the wording and penalty regarding 'legislation' (note the quotes )

Finally and basically the attempts to address the popularity and clout of Club rugby is difficult to treat.

Laporte, the FFR President is making a significant attempt to wrest more control from club rugby but he has pooped his pants with the current affair regarding privileged status afforded to one of the Club Owners .

It is a bag of worms.--------------------------------------------------------Loosie,

The above is a wider background to better describe the issue it is not an excuse, I totally support the intent to improve development into the National squad.

There is progress but it is slow and there are positive signs, fundamentally the issue is one of the popularity and clout of Club Rugby.

It undoubtedly impacts the potential International quality and competitiveness of the National side !

Incidentally a % of the public are ambivalent on the subject.

Remember too that there are 30 Pro Clubs and the % of foreign players in the total is extreme with SA top of the list.

I try to remain positive on the issue ... as most people on here recognise I am a real optimist

On another aspect the increased progress of Club sides with less budget e.g La Rochelle and Lyon is positive but they too have the foreign contact problem, they just buy wisely cue La Roc's purchase of Vito!!

_________________Easy to consider past and present, it's the future and associated plan and strategy to achieve that takes the talent ..

Wed Nov 01, 2017 9:30 am

loosechange

World XV Player

Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 12:34 amPosts: 15379Location: Japan

Re: France to reduce Foreign players in Matchday Squads

I’m genuinely glad they are trying to address the issues of too many foreign players, they have to start somewhere.

I read that Vito is playing out of his skin, wasn’t he voted the player of the year in France?

_________________Religion is like a penis.It's fine to have one, and fine to be proud of it.But please don't whip it out in public and start waving it around,And PLEASE don't try to shove it down my child's throat.

Thu Nov 02, 2017 12:26 am

Tony Panties

World XV Player

Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:37 pmPosts: 12728

Re: France to reduce Foreign players in Matchday Squads

loosechange wrote:

I’m genuinely glad they are trying to address the issues of too many foreign players, they have to start somewhere.

I read that Vito is playing out of his skin, wasn’t he voted the player of the year in France?

Yes he was, he has become the motor of the La Roc team, his handling and distribution skills are remarkable! La Rochelle is a comparatively low budget team who are playing very exciting open rugby and it's good to see! They major on open, offloading skills and have an excellent, total set up. Lyon, similarly are proving one of the exceptions of the Top14.

However, has to be said there is a considerable foreign presence but other than players like Vito they are comparatively less 'star dusted'

PS Ranger joins La Roc this weekend .... another game buster if his stint @ Montpelier was anything to go by.

_________________Easy to consider past and present, it's the future and associated plan and strategy to achieve that takes the talent ..

Thu Nov 02, 2017 8:52 am

loosechange

World XV Player

Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 12:34 amPosts: 15379Location: Japan

Re: France to reduce Foreign players in Matchday Squads

Didn’t realize Ranger was heading north. Best of luck to him, though I think his tacklers might need more luck than him, he’s a monster when he is at full speed.

_________________Religion is like a penis.It's fine to have one, and fine to be proud of it.But please don't whip it out in public and start waving it around,And PLEASE don't try to shove it down my child's throat.

Thu Nov 02, 2017 2:29 pm

Tony Panties

World XV Player

Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:37 pmPosts: 12728

Re: France to reduce Foreign players in Matchday Squads

loosechange wrote:

Didn’t realize Ranger was heading north. Best of luck to him, though I think his tacklers might need more luck than him, he’s a monster when he is at full speed.

Yep, game breaker at Montpelier before he went home due to family probs. La Roc are difficult enough without adding him to the mix

_________________Easy to consider past and present, it's the future and associated plan and strategy to achieve that takes the talent ..

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